Frequency control system for electric welders



J. V. CAPUTO May 28, 1935.

FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC WELDERS Original Filed Dec. 23., 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR if m MXM y 1935- J. v. CAPUTO 2,003,136

FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC WELDERS Original Filed Dec. 23 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR Ma 28, 1935. J, v, CAPUTO 2,003,136

FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC WELDERS Original Filed Dec. 25, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May ,28, 1935 UNITED STATES FREQUENCY CONTROL SYSTEM FOR ELECTRIC WELDERS James'V. Caputo, Grafton, Pa. Original application December 23, 1931, Serial 582,811. Divided and this application August 4, 1933, Serial No. 683,605

14 Claims.

My invention relates to a system for controlling an electric welder and the various auxiliaries utilized in connection with the operation thereof.

The invention claimed herein has been divided out of my copending application Serial No. 582,811, filed December 23, 1931, for Frequency control system for electric welder, patented October 31, 1933, Patent No. 1,933,045.

The present method of continuously welding a pipe includes the steps of continuously forming a length of fiat skelp into a tube with an open seam cleft, passing the formed tube through a welding throat wherein the edges of the seamed cleft are heated by the passage of welding current supplied thereto by a rotating electrode, and the sizing and straightening of the welded tube. The. forming mechanism, the welder proper and the sizing and straightening units include a large number of rolls for forming and feeding the tube. One method of driving these rolls which has been proposed is to use a single driving motor and to drive the rolls therefrom by shafts and gearing. While this system has the merit of simplicity of control, it is objectionable on the ground that it does not provide flexibility, since it is necessary that the speed of all units be changed simultaneously to the same extent. As an alternative to the aforementioned method, it is possible to use separate motors for driving each set of rolls. -This method provides the desired degree of flexibility, but lacks any coordinated means for simultaneously changing the adjustment of all the units. It is an object of my invention,

therefore, to provide a control system for the,

auxiliaries of an electric welder which will .be highly flexible and yet subject to a coordinated adjustment.

It is known that in the practice of continuous electric welding the frequency; of the welding current and the speed of travel of the formed tube should be properly correlated so as to obtain the desired continuity of the-weld. If the speed is excessive for the frequency employed, successive current impulses will be spaced too far apart along the seam and a continuous weld will not be obtained. On the other hand, if the speed is too low for a given frequency, the desired rate of output will not be attained. The welding current is a further variable which requires. adjustment and control in order to obtain the desired character of weld. Other objects of my invention, therefore, are to correlate properly'the frequency of the welding current and the speed of travel of the tube, as well as the magnitude of the welding current.

In accordance with my invention, I employ a pair of welding generators connected in series to supply current to a welder electrode. Preferably, welding transformers are mounted for rotation with the electrode, and the generators are connected to the primary windings of the transformers. The secondary windings of the transformers are connected directly to the electrode. The generators are driven by a variable speed motor so that different frequencies can be obtained. Means are provided for controlling the resultant of the voltages of the two generators to give the proper voltage across the welding electrode.

I use a plurality of separate motors for driving each of the auxiliaries, such as the forming machine, the feed rolls of the welder, the welding electrode, and the sizing and straightening rolls. Each motor is provided with an independent speed control system and the control system of each motor'is actuated in accordance with the operation of a master control element. The system also includes means whereby the speed of pipe travel may be increased without changing the frequency of the welding current, as well as means for permitting the frequency and speed to be adjusted simultaneously.

The invention also contemplates the automatic control of the speed of travel of the work or the frequency or both in accordance with the movement of the tube through the welder. Specifically, it is my intention to decrease the speed and the frequency as the tube leaves the welder.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment thereof, together with certain possible modifications.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a partial circuit diagram of the system;

, Figure 2 is another partial diagram showing other portions of the system;

Figure 3 is another partial diagram illustrating the remainder of the system; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic illustration of a circuit detail.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 may .be placed in juxtaposition in an obvious manner to illustrate the complete circuit diagram.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the welder proper comprises a rotary electrode l0, transformers H and generators I2 and I3 connected to the primary windings of the transformers. The latter are shown diagrammatically only. Their secondaries are connected directly to the electrode and the transformers in their entirety are mounted for rotation with the electrode. Current is supplied to the primary windings'through slip rings. The welding circuit, includingthe transformers and generators, is indicated at l4. A reactor I5 in this circuit; serves to stabilize the system. Q

The generators I2 and I3 are single-phase generators and are 'driven by a variable speed motor l6 directly connected thereto. The motor I6 may be of any desired type, either alternating or direct current. Merely by way of example, I have illustrated a D. C. motor having a field winding I1 and a field rheostat IS.

The combination of two variable-voltage, single-phase generators connected in series for supplying energy to an electric welder is also described and is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 549,442, filed July 18, 1931, for Phase conversion and voltage regulating system.

A synchronous motor I9 connected to an A. C. supply circuit 20 drives a direct connected generator 2|.. An exciter generator 22 is also directly connected to the motor 19 and energizes an excitation and control bus 23, 24. A variable voltage exciter generator 25 is also driven by the motor 19. This generator supplies excitation for the generators I2 and I3. The control of the excitation for these generators is efiected by means which will be described in detail later. The generator 2| is designed to supply direct current of variable voltage for driving the motors of the welder auxiliaries. The generator voltage is controlled by manipulating the excitation supplied to its field winding 26 which is connected to a potentiometer 21 bridging the bus 23, 24. A reversible motor 28 operates the contacts of the rheostat to vary the generator excitation.- The motor 28 has forward and reverse field windings 29 and 30 controlled by manual switches 3| and 32, respectively The generator 2| is connected to an auxiliary bus 33, 34 from which all the motors of the auxiliaries draw their "driving current. While I contemplate using separate motors for driving each stand of rolls in the forming machine, the welder feed rolls, the electrode, each stand of the straightening and sizing rolls, I have illustrated herein but one of these motors, illustrated at 35, with its associated control mechanism.- The motor 35 is a D. C. motor with its armature connected across the bus 33, 34. Its field winding is shown at 36. The circuit of the field winding includes a manual rheostat 31, a motor driven rheostat 38 and a carbon-pile rheostat 39 in parallel with the rheostat 38. The

rheostat 38 is shown to enlarged scale in Figure 4 and is driven by a motor 48 having forward.

and reverse field windings. Limit switches 4| prevent over-travel of the rheostat contact arm.

The operation of the motor 48 is controlled by a moving contract 42 adapted to engage fixed contacts 43 to energize either the forward or reverse field winding of the motor to shift the rheostat contact arm back and forth. The contact 42 and the rheostat 39 are controlled by the movement of a shaft 44 of a special synchronous machine 45. This machine has the stator winding of an ordinary synchronous motor. Its rotor winding, while similar to that of a synchronous motor, is not fixed to its shaft 44, but is rotatable on a threaded arbor 46. The shaft 44 of the unit 45 is adapted to be driven mechanically by the motor 35 through a,

Reeves drive 41. As long as the shaft 44 is driven through the Reeves drive 41 at a speed which is the same as that at which the rotor of the machine 45 is operated by the energization of its stator winding, there will be no axial movement of the shaft 44. Any difference in rheostat 38. ,A suitable thrust bearing at the end of the shaft 44 and a rotatable mounting for the contact 42 will obviously be necessary, but these mechanical details have not been illustrated. A reversible motor 48 under the control of manual switches 49 is provided to adjust the ratio of the Reeves drive. The speed of the motor 35 may thus be individually adjusted without affecting the other motors (not shown) by a method which will be explained later. The field rheostat 31 may also be used for speed control. The motor 35 is preferably connected directly to the rolls which it drives.

The stator windings of the machine 45, indicated at 45s, are energized by the output of a master frequency generator 58. This machine is also of somewhat special construction.-

Its field winding is mounted on a shaft 5|. The stator of the machine, indicated at 50s, is mounted for rotation on the shaft 5| which is supported in suitable bearings (not shown). The adjustable speed driving motor 52 is directly connected to the shaft 5|. The stator 50s is driven by the motor l8 through the shaft on which the generators l2 and 13 are mounted and a Reeves drive 53. The motor 52 has its armature connected across the terminals of the Its field winding 52f is con- The rheostat 52 is generator, 2|. trolled by a rheostat 52r.

actuated by the motor 28 in common with the maximum change in excitation of the field winding 26, these contacts continue to move but engage a continuous strip instead of additional buttons. At that point, the arm of the rheostat 521' engages its contact buttons having previously engaged a continuous strip.

shaft 5| at a speed determined by the output of the generator 2|. The stator 58s of the generator 50, of course, is driven at a speed proportional to the speed of the generators l2 and 5| and the stator 50s are driven 13. The shaft in opposite directions so that 'the frequency of the output which is taken off through the slip rings 54, is proportional to the speed of the stator relative to the shaft.

An alternating current machine 55 is also connected directly to the stator 50s. A duplicate machine 56 is connected to an adjustable speed direct current motor 51. A starting rheostat for the motor 51 is shown at 51s. The

speed of the motor 51 is controlled by a rheostat 511 which is exactly similar to that shown in Figure 4. The machines 55 and 56 may be induction machines instead of synchronous machines as shown.

An electric differential relay 58 is connected between the machines 55 and 56. The relay 58 is nothing more than a small induction motor The function of the motor 52 .is to drive the with wound rotor, designed to operate at standstill. The rotor of the relay carries a movingcontact 59 adapted to engage fixed contacts 50 and 6|. A double-pole, double-throw switch 62 permits the relay 58 to control the motor of the rheostat 5|r or alternatively a similar motor 63 which operates .to adjust the ratio of the Reeves drive 53.

The frequency generated by the master generator 50, in addition to controlling the speed of the motors driving the various auxiliaries, also affects the welding voltage. The variable voltage exciter 25 has a field winding 25; connected in series with a carbon-pile rheostat 64.

The output of the exciter is supplied directly to the field windings of the generators "l2 and I3 which are connected in series through slip rings. The operation of .the rheostat 64 is under the control of an alternating current machine 65 identical with that shown at 45. The stator windings of this machine, indicated at 65s, are connected to the slip rings 54 exactly as are the windings 45s. The machine has its shaft 66 coupled directly to the shaft of an adjustable speed direct current motor 61., The shaft of the motor 61 is coupled in turn to that of a synchronous motor 68. The stator windings 68s of the motor 68 are connected to the. slip rings 54 of the generator 50 through the contacts 690 of a relay 69 having an operating winding 69112. The field windings of the machines 65, 51 and 68 are connected across the exciter bus 23, 24, as are the fields of all the other machines which have been mentioned. In each such case the field rheostat is indicated by a small rectangle. These circuits have not been described explicitly in view of their obviousness. The field circuit of the motor 68. however, includes a contact 100 of a relay 10 having an operating window I010. The contacts of both the relays Bland 10 are normally closed. 1

The armature of the motor 87 is energized by the output of a full wave rectifier H including a transformer lit and thermionic rectifying devices Hr. The rectifier transformer Ht is energized by a current transformer 12 in the welding circuit l4. A relay 13 having an operating winding 13w and contacts 13a and 13b is controlled by a rotary switch I4 and a flag switch 15. The rotary switch 14 is closed momentarily when engaged by a tube length in the position indicated at 16. The switch '15 is' normally closed by a spring 153 except when engaged by a tube in the position'shown at H. The contacts 13a of the relay l3 shunt the field rheostat l8 of the motor l6 and tend to decelerate the latter. The contact 13?) completes a locking circuit for the relay including the switch 15.

Substantially the above described means for maintaining operation of the motor 5! during the intervals between the passages of successive pipe blanks through the welder is also described and is claimed in my copending Patent No. 1,996,902, granted April 9, 1935, for Current control system for electric welder.

Having described the apparatus and circuits comprising the system of my invention, I shall turn now to a description of the operation.

In describing the operation of the system, I shall assume first that all the units are operating at normal speed. I have not illustrated or described any starting equipment for the various units, since the details thereof are well known. The motors such as that shown at 35, may be started by slowly increasing the excitation of the generator 25. The other motors may be started according to known methods. The motor l6 may be adjusted until it drives the generators l2 and 13 at a speed such as to generate the desired frequency in the welding circuit I4, say, cycles. In addition to driving the generators I2 and I3, the motor I6 drives the stator 50s of the generator 50 and the rotor of machine 55. When the motor I9 is operating at synchronous speeds, the generator 2| and the exciters 22 and 25 generate normal voltage. The generator 2|, therefore, drives the motor 52 as well as the motors 35 at their normal speed. The proper normal speed for each unit can be determined by test and each unit individually adjusted until it operates at that speed under normal conditions. With the motor 52 driving the shaft 5| at a certain speed, and the stator 50s being driven at a certain speed in the other direction, the frequency generated in the stator will depend upon the difference in the speeds of the shaft and stator. The generator 50 drives the rotor of the machine 45 at a certain speed and the mechanical drive for the shaft 44 through the Reeves drive 41 is adjusted to operate at the same speed. There is thus no axial movement of the shaft 44 and no engagement of the contacts 42 and 43. Similarly, the machine maintains the rheostat 64 in position to provide normal welding voltage. As long as no current flows in the circuit 84, the motor 61 will not be energized. The relays 69 and 10, however, will be deenergized and the motor 88 thereby connected so as to drive the shaft 66 at a speed corresponding to that at which the rotor of the machine 65 is driven. The machine 55 is driven at normal speed by the drive 53 and the machine 56 is driven at the same speed by the motor 51. The machines 55 and 56 being driven in synchronism, the relay 58 is in neutral position. With the apparatus in operation as described, the first piece of skelp may be fed to the former. In the forming machine, the skelp is bent to cylindrical form and advanced to the welder feed rolls. From the latter, it passes to the electrode I8 between side pressure rolls (not shown). As the tube arrives at the position ll, it opens the flag switch 15, but since the relay 13 has not been energized by the previous passage of a tube through the welder, the opening of the switch l5 has no eilect. When the leading end of the tube engages the electrode lfl, welding current traverses the edges of the seam. The initiation. of current in the circuit l4 sets up a flow of current through the relays 69 and I0 and the motors 57. The opening of the relay contacts deenergizes the motor 58 and the shaft 66 is, therefore, driven by the motor 61 which operates at a speed proportional to the current flow in the circuit l4. If the welding current tends to decrease for any reason, the motor 61 slows down and the shaft 66 is shifted to increase the excitation for the generators I2 and I 3 so that the welding current will be increased. Such an increase in welding current increases the speed 1 the motor 6'! so that the shaft 66 operates to reduce the generated voltage. This cycle continues and a substantially constant welding current is thereby maintained.

If the speeds of all the units have been properly adjusted initially, the tube should emerge from the welder with its seam continuously welded. The operation of the switch 14 by the tube energizes the relay winding 13w so that the contacts 13a and 13b thereof are closed. The

former shunts the field rheostat I8 of the motor celeration of the motor l6, as will be described shortly, slows down the entire system. This makes.it possible to terminate the flow of welding current either by deenergizing the fields of the generators I2 and I3 or by changing the vector relation of the voltages generated thereby. Regardless of what method is employed for controlling the fiow of welding current, a certain minimum time is required for gutting off the current. By slowing down the whole system at the time of cutting off the current, it is possible to weld the seam in the formed tube up to within a very short distance, say, within an inch or so of its end. The scrap loss represented by the imperfect end which is sawed off is thus reduced to a minimum. When the second tube advances toward the electrode, the opening of the flag switch 15 deenergizes the relay winding 13w so that the shunt around the rheostat I8 is removed and the entire system resumes itsnormal speed. i

As explained in the introduction to the specification, the frequency of the welding current may be varied without changing the speed of the motors driving the welder electrode and the auxiliary rolls, or the speed of the motors and frequency of the generators may be simultaneou'sly varied. If it is found that the tube which has been welded is characterized by satisfactory continuity of the seam weld, obviously, no change in the relation between tube speed and fre-' quency is necessary although, of course, for

economy, the welding current should have the lowest frequency for a given speed of tube travel which produces a continuous weld. If the relation' of tube speed to welding frequency is satisfactory, the speed and frequency may be varied together, so that the relation therebetween is unchanged. In order to vary the pipe speed and welding frequency simultaneously, the switch 62 is closed on its upper contacts. With the switch 62 closed, the speed of the motor I6 isvaried,

for example, by means of the field rheostat l8. Any variation in the. speed of the motor I6 is immediately reflected in the frequency generated by the generator 56. Obviously, an increase in the speed of the stator 56s increases the frequency generated. The speed of the machine 55 is simultaneously varied. If it is increased, it tends to supply energy to the machine 56 to drive it as a motor. A flow of energy from the machine 55 to machine 56 causes the contact 59 of the relay 58 to engage its contact 60 to complete a circuit for the motor of the rheostat 511, so that the rheostat is operated to increase the speed of the motor 51. The resulting acceleration of the machine 56 restores the relay 58 .to normal and prevents further adjustment of the speed of the motor'l. An increase in the frequency of the generator 50 causes the rotor ..of the machine 45 to accelerate. The contact, 42- then engages the contact 43 and the rheostat 39 is operated to increase the resistance in the circuit of the field winding'36. The rheostat 38 is correspondingly operated by the engagement of contact 42 with its right-hand contact 43.. The speed of the motor 35 is thereby increased. The increase in the speed of the motor 35 is reflected back to the control mechanism by the Reeves drive 41 which speeds up the shaft 44 to restore the contact 42 to neutral.

The increased frequency of the generator 50 likewise affects the machine 65 and increases the excitation of the generators l2 and L3 to supply increased welding current to the electrode II). An increase in the welding current, of course, is necessary because of the increased section of metal to be welded per unit of time. The increase in the welding current likewise reflects back through the motor 61 to terminate the adjustment of the welding current at the proper time.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the entire system including the'former, welder and straightener, is accelerated by speeding up the motor l6. The welding current is likewise increased proportionally and the same quality of product should result at the higher rate of output. Obviously, deceleration of the motor l6 results in a general slowing down in the operation of the system by the converse of the cycle just described.

Now if the relation between the frequency and the tube speed is such that continuous welding is not effected, it becomes necessary to increase the frequency while maintaining the speed or to decrease the speed while maintaining the frequency. Either operation can be performed with the same facility. The first step is .to shift the switch 62 into engagement with its lower contacts. The speed of themotor l6 can now be adjusted to give the desired fre-. quency of welding current. 'If the motor I6 is accelerated, it will immediately speed up the stator 56s and the machine 55. The relay 58 operates immediately, however, and now con trols the motor 63 toshift the drive 53 until the speed of the shaft 5| returns to its original value, whereupon, the relay 58 reassumes its normal position. The generator 50 is immediately slowed down and now operates at its original speed, as the final result, even though the speed of the motor l6 has been increased. With the same speed of pipe travel, the frequency of welding current is increased. 'The successive welds caused by each alternation are thus spaced more closely together. The momentending to increase the speeds of the auxiliary motors. Adjusting operations may be performed while the welder is operating or idle.

If the frequency is found to be satisfactory, but it is desired to vary the speed of the tube, one of the switches 3| and 32 may be operated to increase or decrease the voltage across the buses 33, 34. The speeds of the motors similar to 35 are proportional to the voltage across this circuit. If the limit of the voltage adjustment by movement of the contacts of rheostat 21 has been reached, further adjustment may be made by operating the rheostat 52. This has the effect of changing the speed of the shaft 5| for a-given voltage across the bus 33, 34. The altered frequency generated by the generator 50 causes a corresponding alteration in the speeds of various motors by further adjusting the other rheostats 38. The rheostats 3-8 are intended to ,55 difference between machines and 56 without care for the course regulation of the motor speeds and the rheostats 39 to exercise a fine adjustment substantially continuously. 0bviously, the motors similar to 35 may be decelerated by properly manipulating the contacts of the rheostat 21.

When the proper relation between welding frequency and tube speed has been obtained, the switch 62 will preferably be reclosed upon its upper contacts so that any subsequent variation in speed of the motor I 6 for whatever reason will effect a correspondingvariation in the speed of the tube travel so that the continuity of the weld will not be affected.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the system of my invention provides a means for simultaneously adjusting the speed of all the auxiliaries of an electric welder without in any way limiting the flexibility of control which is obtained by the use of separate driving motors for the various auxiliaries. The synchronizing of the auxiliaries is important for many reasons, one of which is that properly synchronized driving rolls do not score the pipe. If one set of rolls turned faster than the speed of pipe travel, marking of the product would naturally result. I am able to vary both the speed of the tube and the frequency of the welding current, either independently or simultaneously. Each of the auxiliary units may be adjusted independently so that it performs its function in synchronism with the other units. After the several units have once been adjusted, they always operate in synchronism at a speed determined by the master generator. Stable operation is assured under all conditions.

Instead of using a special machine such as that shown at 45 and 65, I may provide a firequency-comparing relay such as a synchroscope for controlling the speeds of the auxiliary motors and the welding voltage. According to such modification the relay would compare the frequency of the master generator with that of small generators driven by the various motors and correct the speed or" the latter accordingly. In principle, the modification is the same as that of the system described above, i. e., synchronized speed control by means of a master frequency. This embodiment of the invention includes only electrical speed measuring devices instead of direct, mechanical, speed-comparing means.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but a single preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that many changes in the system disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a method of alternating current welding, the steps including varying the frequency of the welding current and simultaneously varying the speed of travel of the work whereby the rate of output is varied without varying the character of the weld.

2. In a method of alternating current welding, the steps including reducing the frequency of the welding current and the speed of travel of the work toward the end of each individual the latter at relatively high speed, and decreasing the frequency of welding current and'the speed of travel of the work on approaching the end of an individual weld.

4. In a method of welding a seam, the steps including causing a heating current to flow across said scam in a predetermined zone, effecting a relative movement of the seam and zone of current flow, and varying the speed of relative movement adjacent the beginning and the end of the seam.

5. In a method of welding a seam, the steps including causing a heating current to flow across said seam in a predetermined zone, effecting a relative movement of the seam and zone of current flow, and varying the speed of relative movement adjacent the beginning of the seam.

6. In a method of welding a seam, the steps including causing a heating current to flow across said seam in a predetermined zone, effecting a relative movement of the seam and zone of current flow, and varying the speed of relative movement adjacent the end of the seam.

7. In a method'of welding, the steps including moving the work to be welded, supplying welding current progressively thereto, reducing the speed of travel of the work at the ends of the weld, and varying the speed of travel of the work between the ends of the weld in accordance with the magnitude of the welding current.

8. In a method of welding the steps including successively feeding lengths of material to be welded, supplying welding current to the material progressively as it moves, and moving the material faster when supplying current to the mid-portion of a length than when supplying current to either end portion thereof.

9. In a method of welding, the steps including successively feeding lengths of material to be welded, supplying welding current to the material progressively as it moves, and slowing down the movement of the material when supplying current to the ends of a length.

10. In a method of welding, the steps including successively feeding lengths of material to be welded, supplying welding current to the material progressively as it moves, accelerating the feeding movement after welding the leading end of a length and decelerating such movement ,before welding the trailing end thereof.

11. The method of claim 9 characterized by reducing the welding current when slowing down the movement of the material.

12. In a method of making welded seams of predetermined length between adjacent metallic edges, the steps including progressively supplying current to said edges in a predetermined zone, varying the welding current at one point at least, in each seam, and varying the speed of travel of the current supply zone relatively to the edges, whereby the rate of output is varied at said point of the seam without varying the character of the welds 13. The method defined by claim 12 characterized by varying said speed while welding the leading ends of said edges.

14. The method defined by claim 12 characterized by varying said speed while welding the trailing ends of said edges.

JAMES V. CAPUTO. 

